Men Sport High Heels in Lebanese Mall to Say "No" to Domestic Violence

On the eve of International Women’s Day, a scene in a Lebanese mall raised more than a few eyebrows: three men walked about the mall wearing high heels. The initiative was intended to raise awareness to domestic violence and discrimination against women, one of the men told the Murr TV reporter.

Following are excerpts from the report, which aired on March 7, 2014.

Reporter: These feet, wearing high-heeled shoes, do not belong to women, but to Lebanese men, who wanted, on the eve of International Women’s Day, to convey women a message of support.

Wajid Al-Hitti: I respect women from head to heel.

Reporter: Wajid Al-Hitti, Sameh Al-Hakim, and Sammar Al-Hitti walked around a mall in high heels. The amazement caused by this spectacle was evident on people’s faces. This was their way of saying "no" to domestic violence and discrimination against women. They believed that this peculiar method would help convey the message.

The initiative has gone viral on social media.

Wajid Al-Hitti: Politics, religion, geography, and sectarianism sow discrimination. The only thing that does not discriminate is laughter. This short funny video that we produced may convey a message, but it will not change people’s beliefs right away. It’s not that as soon as the MPs see this video, they will pass a law defending women from domestic violence. However, this gives hope.

Our message to women is that if they continue to struggle, they will achieve their goals.

[...]